


A New Hunger

by fictitiousLiterate



Series: Hunger [2]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Alive! Danny Stoker, Canon Asexual Character, Canon Bisexual Character, Consensual Blood Drinking, Fluff, Gerry Keay - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Make Outs, Not Beta Read, Self-Worth Issues, Trans Martin Blackwood, Trans Sasha James, Vampire AU, Vampire Jon, Vampire Sasha, allusions to past trauma, martin's canon typical jealousy, vampire tim, vampire typical blood and biting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25869529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictitiousLiterate/pseuds/fictitiousLiterate
Summary: Jon and Martin have been dating for a while but Martin has to make the choice to become a vampire with his friends.Sequel to Hunger, the previous work in this series.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood & Sasha James & Tim Stoker, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Sasha James & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist & Tim Stoker
Series: Hunger [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877170
Comments: 32
Kudos: 174





	1. Jon and Martin have a little disagreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon wonders why Martin is full of jealousy and not a vampire. Martin doesn't like that.

Jon has gotten fairly good at telling when Martin is upset. Not so good at telling _why_ he’s upset, but he can tell when Martin’s shoulders tense and he avoids looking directly at Jon that he’s mad at Jon.

Their courtship has generally been going well. Martin has been understanding of Jon’s fears and has always had a chaperone tailing them. Objectively they both know Jon wouldn’t hurt Martin, but Jon likes the extra peace of mind. He’s gotten comfortable enough with himself to hold Martin’s hand most nights. That’s the other way Jon can tell Martin is upset, his hand is in his coat pocket and therefore ungrabbable.

“Martin, is everything alright?” he asks carefully as they walk through the park.

“You just seem...awfully touchy with Oliver,” Martin replies. Ah, that explains it.

“And you’re...jealous?”

“What? No! I…” Martin stammers and turns to Jon who looks smugger than he means to; if he’s completely honest. “Fine, so what if I am? You let so many people hug you. Vampires, I know. I get it. I just...it bothers me sometimes. To have everyone be able to hold you close be me.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Martin. I’m not going to stop hugging people”

“I know it’s silly. I just can’t help it, ok?”

“It won’t be like this when you become a vampire,” Jon replies and immediately regrets it. Martin makes a face between anger and shame.

“Tim and Sasha won’t do it,” Martin snaps. “I’ve been friends with them for four years, Jon. If one of them wanted to… They won’t.”

“Have you asked them?”

“I’m not putting our friends on the spot like that.”

“So you haven’t…” Jon begins before seeing Martin’s obvious glare. “Ok, I’ll drop it.”

“Thank you,” Martin says sharply. He offers Jon his hand, which he takes, and they walk together around the park for some time. Occasionally, Jon still has to remind himself that his stomach is full and he isn’t a danger to Martin. Even if he was, Gerry Keay was sketching on a park bench close enough that he could stop Jon if it came down to it. 

“So…” Martin says after a bit of walking. “I got the most bizarre review on my new poetry book.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. You know how I wrote several poems about you in it?”

“That’s a terrifying way to being this story, but continue.”

“This person on wrote: “author is either deeply in love with someone w/ brown eyes OR his cat is _extremely_ handsome. Good for him either way.”

“So I’m a cat?”

“A handsome cat.”

“Ah, well, that’s completely different. I think the other interpretation is too obvious. It’s not like those poems weren’t written in letters to your paramour before you published them or anything.”

“Of course. The cat would be a much more intellectual approach.”

Eventually Martin gets tired and Gerry walks him home around 1 am. He offers to walk both of them home, but Jon would prefer to be alone. He had some people to text.

 **Jon:** Before I begin I’d like to make perfectly clear that the following conversation is not to reach Martin

 **Tim:** ooo

 **Tim:** secrets from marto

 **Tim:** lips are sealed OxO

 **Sasha:** his birthday is april 23. i won’t tell him even if it’s not that.

 **Jon:** I know when my boyfriend’s birthday is.

 **Jon:** Why have neither of you offered to turn him into a vampire?

 **Jon:** We were talking about it tonight and he said didn’t think either of you wanted to.

 **Sasha:** well, for the first year we knew him he was in the middle of his medical transition. not exactly fair to offer a man eternal life while he’s draining excess fluid out of his chest

 **Tim:** plus he was paying for his mother for 2 of those years

 **Tim:** couldnt take one of his sources of income

 **Tim:** also mrs b was terminally ill

 **Tim:** didnt want marto 2 feel so guilty he turned her

 **Tim:** fuck that lady

 **Jon:** That makes sense

 **Jon:** Why haven’t either of you brought it up recently? I can’t do it, as you know.

 **Tim:** expected him to bring it up tbh

 **Sasha:** yeah, sorta figured he would if he wanted to

 **Jon:** He said he didn’t want to put you guys on the spot about it

 **Jon:** Could one of you maybe bring it up with him?

 **Jon:** Don’t tell him I asked you to.

 **Tim:** sure

 **Tim:** i see him tomorrow

 **Tim:** do you want me to tell you what he says?

 **Jon:** No, I’d hope he’d mention it to me on his own

 **Sasha:** tell me, tim. i’ll turn him if he/you prefer. plus i just want to know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Martin are still going to therapy throughout this. I don't know what a timeline is.


	2. Martin gets offered eternity and talks to Jon about his feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim does what he told Jon he'd do last chapter, Martin still struggles with his self-worth, a Skype date is had, and Jon talks about a statement giver who was making it all up.

It’s not often that Martin meets Tim at the Institute to feed, but apparently Tim was busy and Martin felt he could certainly use a break from all of the commissions he was doing.

Tim fed from Martin’s neck, like Sasha, but unlike Sasha, Tim had no trouble telling Martin it was solely to cuddle him. It wasn’t surprising, given that Tim was by far the most tactile of his friends, but it felt nice early in their friendship to know he was giving Tim something that made him happy. He’s slowly come to accept that cuddling is actually a two-way street and Tim will give him cuddles whenever he asks.

When Tim finishes drinking from Martin he gives him a bottle of juice and a granola bar. Then he asks:

“Do you want to live forever?”

“What, going on a religious kick now?” Martin replies jovially.

“No, I mean as a child of the night,” Tim says in a terrible Dracula voice.

“Oh, uh. I hadn’t thought about it.”

“You’re friends with _several_ vampires, are dating another, and you’ve never thought of it?”

“Not really? I just sort of assumed you’d all move on at some point.”

He knows it sounds bad as soon as he says it. Tim’s eyebrows knit together and he puts an arm around Martin.

“From a guy like you?” Tim says in a casual tone, but there’s a softness there. “I doubt it.”

“So you’ve never moved on from a mortal.”

“Sure, plenty of times. Plenty of immortals I’ve moved on from, too. There are also people who I’ve known since Danny and I were turned that I still talk to and graves I still visit when I get the chance. I can speak for at least me, Jon, and Sash when I say we’d rather be able to still talk to you in 100 years.”

“How do you know that, though?” Martin whispers around the lump starting to form in his throat.

“I just do,” Tim shrugs. “I’ve been around a long time and I have a feel for these things.”

“How long exactly?” Martin sniffles.

“Those puppy-dog eyes aren’t going to reveal my secrets that easily.”

“Damn, I almost got you.”

“Do you want to hang around the Archive for a bit? Since I made you cry.”

“You aren’t enough of a smooth talker to get me to keep you from your work, Tim. I _am_ dating your boss.”

“Fine,” Tim pouts. “Text me when you get home and think about letting us turn you, yeah?”

“Ok, I’ll see you for game night,” Martin replies, wiping his nose.

Martin liked having skype dates with Jon. It meant that he could talk with Jon one on one without someone eavesdropping (technically someone could still be eavesdropping but it wasn’t like Tim, Sasha, Gerry, or anyone he actually knew was sitting there watching them.) He had been considering what he was going to say to Jon for nearly a week since Tim “coincidentally” brought up vampirism the day after Jon and he had a bit of a row over just that.

He doesn’t bring it up right away. He just waits until Jon finishes talking about someone giving a statement who claimed to he met Elvis, alive and well, in Yorkshire.

“He even had a video,” Jon chuckles. “The gentleman in the video had a _perfect_ Yorkshire accent and couldn’t have been more than 40.”

“Obviously Elvis found the fountain of youth in Yorkshire.”

“By Jove, you’ve solved it!”

“By Jove? You’re so old.”

“Maybe I just finally got around to reading Sherlock Holmes.”

“Uhuh.”

The conversation pauses and Jon looks at him in that way that would have made him so uncomfortable a few months ago. Not because he’s looking at him salaciously, but because Martin isn’t used to being looked at with such unabashed adoration. Martin has written poetry about those eyes. His new book was titled _I See You_ because of how much he wrote about Jon’s eyes. Jon’s past made it difficult for physical touch but his eyes caressed Martin with more love and affection than the few partners he’d had who were fine with touching. Someday Martin won’t get distracted by Jon’s love for him.

“So, Tim asked about me becoming a vampire the other day,” he starts. He’s not mad that Jon did that, but he’s extremely uncomfortable with Jon cajoling their friends into things.

“Oh?” Jon prompts innocently.

“Did you ask him to?”

“What?” Jon pulls such a guilty face that Martin almost rolls his eyes.

“The day after we have a disagreement about me asking them, Tim brings it up for the first time. I’m not a fool, Jon.”

“You said you didn’t want to put them on the spot so I thought-”

“You’d just put them on the spot on my behalf?”

“It’s not as if I forced Tim to do anything.” Jon bristles, taking out his phone. “I can show you the exact conversation between him, me, and Sasha if you like.”

“Oh, did Tim tell you I _cried_ when he asked?” Martin replies, sharper than he means to.

“No, I…” Jon hesitates. “What happened?”

“Oh, you know, I was forced to confront the fact that I assumed you’d all get sick of me _long_ before I grew old and died,” he replies bitterly. “Tim...I want to believe him when he said you’d all miss me it’s just...I’ve always been pretty forgettable.”

“You’re not _forgettable,_ Martin,” Jon insists. “If you don’t want to become a vampire, we’d understand, but…”

“You’d rather have me than a gravestone in 100 years, yeah, Tim said as much,” Martin finishes. “What if we break up? Would you still want me kicking around, then?”

“The only other person I’ve ever dated lives in London and while I’m sure she’d rather not see me, I wouldn’t mind becoming friends with her again.” When Jon sees Martin’s concerned face he elaborates, “We dated in the 1970s, long after Gertrude dragged me out of Siberia. Point is, unless we have a cataclysmic breakup, I assume we’d stay friends… Do you _want_ to break up?”

“No, of course not,” Martin sighs. “It’s just… I don’t want to burden you all with my existence. I know, I _know_ I shouldn’t think like that. I just can’t help it sometimes.”

Jon’s face gets fierce for a moment before he schools it into a gentler expression.

“Is there anything I can do to help you with that?” Jon asks firmly.

“Just keep loving me I guess? It’s easier to build up my self-worth when the people around me actually like me, you know.”

“Is that all?” Jon says smiling. “I love you, Martin. Doing so is extremely easy.”

“Can we...table the me becoming a vampire thing for a while? I know Sasha’ll probably bring it up next time we’re alone, but I’d like to think about it on my own.”

“Of course. I don’t want you to feel rushed or pressured.”

“Thank you. I love you, too, you know.”


	3. Martin is once again offered eternity and makes a choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasha offers to turn Martin, being a trans vampire is vaguely discussed, a new game is played, and Martin gives in to eternal friendship

Sasha had bought Martin two pizzas for game night. He’d gotten used to her bringing food every time she came to feed on him, but he seriously doubted she was doing it to help him eat healthier foods. There was _at least_ as much salt in a Hawaiian pizza as there was in a frozen meal for one. It was funny now, though, that he had such a strange arrangement with his friends. All-human friend groups just split the check, but not his mostly-vampire one. They bought him food and he sometimes fed two of them. That was another consideration he could put in favor of becoming a vampire: he’d spend far less on food, and Tim wouldn’t look disappointed at him for having a freezer full of pizza bites.

“So have you thought more about it?” Sasha asks pleasantly once she hands Martin something to eat.

“About what?” Martin replies.

“Letting me or Tim turn you,” she says casually. “Danny or Gerry probably would, too, if you asked.”

“I take it Tim told you what happened when he asked?”

“Yeah, you really never thought about it before?”

“Did he tell you that I said why?”

“He did, and I trust him and Jon to speak for me in reference to wanting you around when we settle the Moon. Tell me what you think about becoming a vampire, just in general.”

“It doesn’t seem like it’s all blood orgies all the time like it is in movies,” Martin says lightly. “Or whatever was happening in _Twilight._ Also a big fan of the lack of tight pants.”

“You didn’t see me and Tim in the 80s. No concerns about your body? _Underworld_ leather notwithstanding.”

“Oh, yeah,” Martin replies. “You said a while ago that most of your transition happened after? Other than that, vampires are stuck aren’t they?”

“Well, HRT wasn’t possible or invented yet, so I had to get magical with it, yeah. We are otherwise “stuck.” Our bodies basically stay the same, aside from hair and nail growth,” she says matter-of-factly.

“One more thing to put on the pro side for “become a vampire.” No more needles,” Martin jokes.

“Ooo, do you want me to help make that list until the other boys arrive?”

Martin and Sasha end up writing out a list of pros and cons. On the pros side, Sasha writes “we’d miss you” with far too many frowning faces. Martin doesn’t feel the urge to tear up, nope, not at all.

When Tim and Jon come, Tim bear hugs him. He gives Jon his Game Night Invitation in and is rewarded with a quick hug. Jon does that most nights they see each other, if he doesn’t Martin knows to give him extra space.

“Soooooo,” Tim says. “What’re we playing? Sash promised a new game.”

Sasha takes out a game with several people dressed like they crawled out of a bad _Sherlock Holmes_ adaptation titled _Ticket to Ride_ and explains the rules. Jon takes Martin’s hand and sits next to him, it’s nice. The game goes by until Tim mentions the box art.

“So that guy on the front in the deerstalker is definitely Sherlock Holmes, right?”

“Sherlock Holmes and his trusty...hand vacuum?” Jon replies, pointing to something in the Holmes looking person’s hand.

“Don’t you remember the classic story where Watson is turned into a hand vacuum?” Sasha says in mock offense. “It’s one of my favorites.”

“ _The Hoovered Room,”_ Martin quotes. “Truly a classic.”

“Poor Watson never saw it coming,” Tim says sadly.

“I thought it was a unique twist, that his wife turned him into a vacuum for not helping to clean the house,” Jon says.

“I think I took that statement last week actually,” Sasha jokes.

“From the vacuum or the vacuumer?” Martin asks.

“Vaccum, it was very hard to translate all that noise into words.”

The night progresses and they continue to joke and play. At one point Tim sprawls out across everyone’s laps on the couch and makes it nearly impossible to actually place their pieces anywhere. Martin picks him up and puts him on the ground before Jon and Sasha push him there. Tim is still grumpy about it. Eventually, the night winds down, and Martin is hugged and left alone in his apartment.

He reads over the list he made with Sasha and feels tears welling up. Most of his life he spent bending over backward to justify the space he took up, but now three people have explicitly stated that they wanted him around. Not only sometimes or for their benefit, and it was just Martin existing as himself that made them want to be around him. Immortality alone would be unimaginable, but immortality loved? Walking the ages knowing there are people out there who think the world is made better by you just being in it? He could handle it. He _wanted_ it. Maybe one day he could even fathom it.

**Martin:** Would you be more comfortable with Tim or Sasha turning me?

**Jon:** It’s entirely up to you.

**Jon:** I know they both love you and would be happy to.

**Jon:** Does this mean you’ve made a decision?

**Jon:** You are under no pressure to make one

**Martin:** I was kind of hoping you’d get me out of playing favorites. I know I’m not pressured, thank you.

**Jon:** You didn’t answer my question

**Jon:** Just ask them both to decide if you don’t want to play favorites.

**Martin:** Good thinking. Yeah, I want to join you all in *~*eternal night*~*

Jon types for several moments before clearly deleting the novel he was intending to send.

**Jon:** Wonderful!!!

**Jon:** I love you so much

**Martin:** I love you, too

**Martin:** Dork

He texts Tim and Sasha next.

**Martin:** So….I’ve made a decision

**Tim:** on?

**Tim:** jk ik its the vamp thing

**Tim:** since jon isnt in this txt group

**Tim:** unless ur gonna ask jon to marry you

**Tim:** we can help w/ that 2

**Sasha:** tim, how the hell do you text so much? just let the man speak

**Martin:** It’s the vampire thing. I don’t want to insult either of you by asking the other one to turn me. So I want to let you guys pick.

**Tim:** thats so considerate marto

**Tim:** ur a gift

**Tim:** ill do it unless sash is super into it

**Sasha:** i was gonna suggest we duel for it, actually ;). seriously though, i’m cool if tim does it. i do want to be there with you, if that’s ok?

**Martin:** So we’re doing this?

**Tim:** just pick a night that works 4 all of us

**Tim:** u probs already told jon

**Tim:** he wont want to b there for it

**Tim:** but hell wanna tackle and smooch u after

**Martin:** How does Saturday work?

Tim and Sasha agree. He tells Jon and Tim was right, no way Jon wanted to be around for it, but he’ll be around afterward.

So it’s happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/united-kingdom/ <\- The box art they briefly take the piss out of


	4. Martin becomes a vampire and kisses his boyfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon buys Martin blood, Martin becomes a vampire and nearly yeets his phone, Tim and Sasha have photographic proof of being vampires before Martin was born (and all of their terrible fashion choices), and Jon's inner cuddle monster is unleashed.

The Friday evening before Tim had agreed to turn Martin Jon took him to the Blood Bank. The least traumatic way to turn someone into a vampire was to mutually feed on one another until the vampiric sire tasted their own blood. It meant that the person becoming a vampire would just “fall asleep” and wake up a vampire instead of any of the many traumatic deaths many vampires suffered. It also ensured that the vampiric sire wouldn’t have to deal with the emotional toll of killing someone they cared about by just not noticing. Unfortunately, it would leave Martin ravenous with no human blood left in his system. Traditionally this was dealt with in one of three ways: a human sacrifice (not an option), animals to feed on (technically an option but not a great one), or blood from the Blood Bank. Jon had paid for Martin’s first round of blood, plus some extra, and went with him to pick it up.

“Finally doing going through with it, huh?” Gerry asks with a knowing grin.

“How do you know that?” Martin replies. Gerry just raises his eyebrows and looks at Jon who looks like he’s on cloud nine.

“We’re here to pick up his first round,” Jon says like he’s still trying to sound professional.

“Got it right here, plus the extra, and Martin’s application paperwork for the Institute.”

“Application?” Martin asks.

“So you can access Institute resources from the vampire side,” Gerry explains.

“Oh, right,” Martin says

“One of you is going to have to sign for this blood and then you’re on your way,” Gerry says, handing a pen and form in the general direction of both Jon and Martin. Jon takes it, signs for it, and Gerry gives Martin a cooler full of blood bags.

“Thank you, Gerry,” Jon says.

“Hey, I’m getting out of making sure you two save room fro Jesus this way,” Gerry replies, winking.

Jon walks Martin out of the Institute, kisses his hand, and promises to see him the following night.

Tim and Sasha carefully make sure everything is ready. Sasha warms up the blood and it’s decided that Martin and Tim will drink from each other’s wrists to avoid the awkward angle going for each other’s necks. Tim opens a vein in his wrist and his blood is pitch black and it tastes _awful._ Once Tim seems content that Martin is drinking he starts drinking from Martin’s offered wrist. Aside from the mouthful of blood, it didn’t feel that much different than normally being fed on. The warm buzz he usually feels starts to clear before Tim’s blood starts to taste _good._ Intensely so and Martin doesn’t think anyone could pull him away if they tried, even if he was starting to feel lightheaded. He feels himself start to drift and he feels like he should panic, but he’s too high from blood and suddenly he’s out like a light.

When Martin wakes up he feels like he’s never eaten in his life. He can’t even think. Something smells so tempting he runs past someone and he starts pouring it into his mouth. It’s warm and savory with a bitter after taste and he _needs_ more. There’s a hand on his shoulder and someone is handing him more. They’re talking to him but he can’t process it. All he can think of is _more._ At some point he recognizes the voice as Tim’s, he’s talking about how good Martin is doing intermingled with some light teasing about him being a messy eater. The hand on his shoulder is Sasha’s, she’s talking too, something about getting him to a shower. He realizes he feels totally out of control before he can reel himself in. At some point he’s sated and he just sinks to his kitchen floor. If Jon felt this before he met Dekker no wonder he was terrified. This total loss of control was awful and he was so grateful for the hands and voices that helped him through it.

“There you are, Marto,” Tim soothes. “You’re ok.”

Martin takes a few shaky breaths and grabs Tim and Sasha’s hands.

“That was fucking awful,” he slurs.

“Are you feeling ok?” Sasha asks. “You’re sort of crushing out hands.”

“Right...don’t know my own strength I guess,” Martin laughs. “Jon’ll be over soon, right?”

“You might want to take a shower and change shirts first,” Tim says. “You’re kind of a mess.”

At this point, Martin looks down and notices that about a third of the blood he was supposed to be drinking was caked down his shirt. It was probably smeared all over his face, too. Which can’t have been a great look.

“Good point,” he says. “I’ll call Jon and tell him to come over in fifteen minutes so he doesn’t think anything is wrong.”

“Good plan, you clean yourself up and we’ll clean up out here,” Sash says, helping Martin to his feet.

Martin takes his phone, nearly smacks himself in the with it because it suddenly feels much lighter, and calls Jon.

“Martin? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything went exactly as planned.”

“Oh, you mean…?”

“Yup, you’re talking to a fresh vampire. You can come over in about 15 minutes. I’m...kind of a mess. I may have dumped a blood bag on myself, it’s a blur. I’m fine, though. Just a little sticky.”

“Alright, I’ll see you soon, love.”

“See you soon. Love you”

“Love you, too.”

Martin clumsily walks to his bedroom, turns on the light, and immediately regrets it. The flash of light is blinding and painful. He shuts the light back off to find that he can see fine without it. In fact, every light in his apartment had been turned off. Probably by Sasha to avoid exactly this. He carefully opens his dresser and picks out a sweater he knows Jon likes and some new bottoms before heading to the bathroom with the light off.

He spends most of the shower nearly throwing bottles because he grossly misjudges how much strength he needs to move them. By the end, he has a reasonable handle on his own strength and manages not to wedgie himself with his pants. He walks out of the bathroom and Jon stops talking and _bolts_ into Martin so quickly Martin has to pick him up to avoid being knocked over. Jon was apparently aiming to kiss him but what happens is teeth clacking and noses getting mashed together.

“Sorry,” Jon says red-faced. “I should have asked.”

Martin cups Jon’s face and pulls him into a kiss. Jon kisses him slowly and carefully and it’s _wonderful._ When they pull back Jon presses his face into the crook of Martin’s neck and Martin realizes how utterly relaxed Jon is. It’s the first time Jon’s shoulders aren’t stiff as planks and it melts Martin’s heart because he knows why Jon had been so stiff around him before. So he pulls him closer and strokes his hair until Jon mutters something.

“What was that?” Martin asks, loosening his grip on Jon so they can pull back and look at each other.

“We’re still doing movie night, right?”

They wind up not doing movie night because Sasha has brought several photo albums depicting her and Tim’s terrible fashion choices through time. They go through them with Martin in Jon’s lap.

“I was warned about the pants,” Martin says. “I was _not_ warned about Tim and Danny having matching mullets.”

“We looked good and you know it!” Tim pouts.

“Here’s some photographic evidence of at least one of Tim wild historical claims,” Sasha says, point out of photo of Tim, Sasha, and a few people Martin doesn’t recognize in a small pub hosting a band called Smile.

“You saw Queen before they were Queen?” Martin asks excitedly. “You know that’s way cooler than the time you allegedly got challenged to a duel by Calico Jack.”

“Don’t worry Marto, you’ll be able to say you were in the room with some not-yet-famous person in 50 years,” Tim replies lightly ribbing him. “Right Jon?”

“Hm? Yes, right,” Jon says, clearly not paying attention.

“Someone’s distracted by the handsome man in their lap,” Sasha teases.

Jon responds by wrapping his arms more securely around Martin’s belly and turns his head in a gesture that Martin is pretty sure means he’s making a face at Sasha.

Time passes and Tim and Sasha have to leave in time to get home before the sun rises. Jon stays behind and it’s the first time they’re totally alone together.

“Martin,” Jon says slowly. “Could we sleep together? Not...not “sleep” together just cuddle. I don’t want to impose I just...I really want to be with you.”

“It’s almost like our “long-distance” relationship has turned short distance,” Martin grins and wraps his arms around Jon. At some point soon they’re going to want to establish new boundaries that include Martin initiating affection, but now they can just sleep in a tangled mass of limbs with Jon in one of his shirts.


	5. Jon gets a handsome new roommate and has feelings in a truck bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin moves in, Danny adopts Martin (and pulls a prank), and Jon is also a smooching machine.

Jon wakes up pinned into his bed by a comforting weight. He doesn’t have to open eyes to know it’s Martin softly snoring on top of him. It’s an immensely secure feeling, knowing he can’t lose control on Martin or at all with Martin pinning him like this. He’s well-fed, of course, and he _knows_ going out of control is a near impossibility, but Martin quiets the concern with his presence.

Jon doesn’t move much when he wakes up. He lets his hand travel the hem of Martin’s sleep shirt where it’s ridden up to expose his lower back until his fingers trace the stretch marks just above Martin’s hips. It’s easy to get lost in the difference in texture and he does, absently caressing Martin until he gets a soft hum in response.

“Having fun?” Martin whispers.

“Maybe I’m just in awe of you,” he replies hoarsely. Martin rolls off of him to hide his face in his hands.

“You can’t just _say_ that this early in the morning.”

“It’s a good thing it’s early evening, then,” Jon says, rolling over so his head is resting on Martin’s chest.

“I’m not awake enough for you to be pedantic,” Martin grumbles. He takes his hands away from his face and looks down at Jon with such fondness it makes his heart clench.

“I’m not awake enough to _not_ tell the handsome man in my bed he’s awe-inspiring.”

“That’s awfully vain of you,” Martin huffs with a smirk.

“That kind of sass gets you a morning-breath kiss,” Jon retorts. Martin doesn’t stop him from leaning up and kissing him on the lips.

Over the past month, they had been sleeping over at each other’s apartments more often than not. Often enough that they had gotten into a routine of Jon taking a shower while Martin heats old blood up for them in the kettle (or vice versa). Martin had been live feeding with Tim or Sasha as a coach, but he told Jon that he liked the domesticity of eating together.

Martin presses a kiss to Jon’s jaw when he comes out of the shower, carefully drying his hair. Some day he might get over Martin doing that, probably not, but maybe.

“So…” Martin starts nervously and Jon raises his eyebrows. “My lease is up next month.”

“Would you like me to help you re-negotiate your rent? I can be _very_ persuasive.” Jon replies.

“First of all, pouting to keep me in bed with you longer doesn’t make you a master of persuasion,” Martin says. “I meant it would be a good time for us to move in together. If you want.”

“Oh, right,” Jon says hesitantly. “I...I would like that, actually.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, then we can share all of your little animal mugs.”

“I see, only dating me for my mugs.”

“Yes, you’ve caught me,” Jon says in mock guilt. “So would you want to move in here or…?”

“Yeah, if that’s ok? I don’t want to impose.”

“You have a funny idea of what the word “impose” means if you think moving in with me would be an _imposition.”_

“What word would you use?” Martin presses.

“Privilege?” Jon tries. “Perhaps the logical progression of our relationship going “short distance.” Certainly something I desire and not something you’re thrusting upon me.”

Martin lets out a breath that tells Jon he’s _trying_ to believe him, but it’s a lot. So Jon doesn’t continue and he just takes Martin’s hand. They sit in silence until their cups are empty.

“Do you want to help me pack my stuff?” Martin finally asks.

“See when Tim and Sasha are free, maybe we can make a night of it.”

“Good idea.”

It turns out that Danny Stoker was coming in later in the month which was a plus since he owned a truck they could use. Most of Martin’s kitchen appliances were gone already, he had donated them along with his cutlery and dishware once he was on a firmly liquid diet. The furniture had come with the apartment so there wasn’t much left to pack.

“Martin, why did you have this container of nuts in your bathroom?” Danny asks, handing Martin a jar that most certainly did _not_ come from Martin’s bathroom.

“I don’t kno-” Martin says, opening it and getting bombarded with spring snakes.

“Gonna have to be better on your toes, Marto,” Tim laughs, patting the laughing Martin on the shoulder.

“Yeah, you’re basically my brother now, so you better be ready for that whenever I’m around,” Danny says.

“I don’t think that’s how that works,” Sasha replies from where she is in the kitchen, wrapping Martin’s mugs in newspaper.

Jon has a very _I told you so_ moment when he and Martin make eye contact. It’s a pleasant sort of vindication knowing that he was right, people like Martin around, and intended to be around him. Martin was clearly having a good day, too, because his face wasn’t going far off like it did sometimes.

“If the people you turn become your relations I think a lot of vampires need to have some _very_ uncomfortable conversations with their partners,” Jon says, turning back at the books he’s putting into a box.

“Ugh, gross,” Danny shudders and makes a face. “Still my brother, though. Even if you do use 2-in-1 conditioner.”

The packing process is generally pretty quiet so they don’t wake Martin’s neighbors by yelling from different rooms. Between the four of them, they manage to pack everything up pretty quickly and don’t get the police called on them for loading a bunch of boxes from the building into a truck in the middle of the night. Jon winds up hiding in the truck bed with Tim.

“So, how are you feeling?” Tim asks, nudging Jon’s arm.

“About?”

“Martin. Was it helping when he was human?”

“I...don’t think it was. I was just scared and I think until I move past who I was, I’ll always be scared.”

“Still getting used to the idea you aren’t a monster, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“I honestly thought you were gonna break his nose after he got out of the shower.”

“I’m never going to live that down. Am I?”

“Hey, I don’t blame you. Martin’s a catch.”

“I love him so much, Tim.”

“We can all tell.”

The drive is relatively short given the time of night and once they bring all of the boxes up they go start unpacking the mugs. Fortunately, Martin had thought to label the boxes, so clothes and linens went to the bedroom, books went by the bookshelf, and the three boxes novelty animal mugs Martin had gotten from second-hand shops and friends.

“Martin, why do you have so many highland cow mugs?” Jon asks, holding the three distinct mugs.

“One of those is from you, Jon,” Martin laughs.

“They are very good cows, but my point still stands,” Jon replies.

“There are only so many novelty mugs shaped like animals, sometimes we have to double up,” Sasha says, opening Jon’s mostly empty cabinets to start putting mugs away.

“We could always start switching it up if you want, Marto,” Tim says, unwrapping more mugs and putting them on the counter. “Danny could get you an Eifle tower mug next time he’s in Paris.”

“Animals or nothing,” Martin says.

“I’ll get you a harp seal mug for your birthday,” Danny replies.

The mugs are quick to put away and it’s close enough to the sunrise that everyone has to leave in order to get home safely. Martin decides to just leave most of his things in their boxes with the exception of his knitting supplies and his poetry notebooks. Jon has to sit down a moment and take everything in. Martin sits next to him on their couch and wraps the dark green blanket around them.

“You ok?” He asks gently.

“Yeah, just thinking about how lucky I am,” Jon says softly, curling closer to Martin.

“All those mugs.”

“You and our friends,” he snort and takes Martin’s hand to kisses each of his knuckles.

“Just me, now,” Martin murmurs in his ear.

“I should do something about that, shouldn’t I?” Jon replies in a tone he hopes is sultry. He turns just enough to catch Martin’s mouth with his. Martin kisses him back, soft and sure, but he lets out a surprised noise when Jon straddles his lap. Jon takes the excuse to slide his tongue past Martin’s lips and gets an excited shiver out of him. Martin tangles his hands in Jon’s hair while Jon tilts his head to deepen the kiss. Jon could do this for hours but Martin eventually breaks the kiss.

“Is this ok?” Martin pants, lightly squeezing where one of his hands in resting on Jon’s thigh.

“Yeah,” Jon mutters between kisses to Martin’s neck. “I’m not making you uncomfortable, am I?”

Martin huffs a laugh, “I asked you first.”

“I said I’m fine. Just...let me know if I go too far.”

Too far in this case meaning making Martin uncomfortably aroused. Jon knew he personally had no interest in sex, in fact being kissed below the neck wasn’t a great feeling either, and as much as he enjoyed making out with Martin; having Martin squirm under him wasn’t something he enjoyed. While Martin never made him feel guilty, he still felt bad if he got Martin too worked up.

“Thank you,” Martin huffs before cupping Jon’s face with the hand that was previously in his hair so he can get a better angle to kiss Jon again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :)
> 
> I'm @leighistired on Tumblr. Come say hi!


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